History of Alexander Zverev in Timeline

Alexander Zverev, a German professional tennis player currently ranked world No. 3, boasts 24 ATP singles titles and two doubles titles. He has achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 2. Notable achievements include a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and victories at the 2018 and 2021 ATP Finals. Despite his success, he has been a runner-up at three Grand Slam tournaments.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1986: Teenage Wins Against Top Ten

In 2016, Zverev became the first teenager to record three consecutive victories against top ten opponents since Boris Becker in 1986.

1990: Move to Germany

In 1990, Irina Zvereva went to Germany to compete at a tournament, with her husband accompanying as her coach. While in Germany, they were offered jobs as tennis instructors.

1995: Boris Becker's Season-Ending Championship

In 1995, Boris Becker was the last German player to win the season-ending championships, a title Alexander Zverev later claimed.

April 1997: Alexander Zverev's Birth

Alexander Zverev was born on April 20, 1997, in Hamburg, Germany, to Russian parents Irina Zvereva and Alexander Mikhailovich Zverev.

Others born on this day/year

2000: Tommy Haas Wins Silver at Sydney Olympics

In 2021, Alexander Zverev won a gold medal at the Olympics becoming the first German man to win a gold medal in singles since Tommy Haas won silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

2004: First Top 20 Opponent Win

In 2014 at the International German Open, Zverev recorded his first top 20 victory over No. 16 Mikhail Youzhny. He became the first 17-year old to defeat a top 20 opponent since Richard Gasquet in 2004.

2005: ITF Junior World Champion

As the top-ranked junior at the end of the 2013 season, Zverev was named the ITF Junior World Champion, becoming the youngest boys' champion since Donald Young in 2005.

2006: First Semifinal Since Čilić

In 2014 at the International German Open, Zverev made a semifinal. He became the first 17-year old to make a semifinal since Marin Čilić in 2006.

2006: Top 20 Debut

In 2016, Zverev's third round appearance at the Shanghai Masters helped him rise to No. 20 in the ATP rankings, making him the youngest player to debut in the top 20 since Novak Djokovic in 2006.

2007: David Nalbandian's Masters Titles

In 2007, David Nalbandian was the last player outside of the Big Four to win multiple Masters titles in the same season, a feat that Alexander Zverev later matched.

2007: Youngest Masters Champion Since Djokovic

In May of 2017, Zverev won his first Masters title at the Rome Masters, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final to become the youngest Masters champion since Djokovic in 2007 and the first such champion born in the 1990s.

2009: Youngest Challenger Title Winner

At 17 years and 2 months, Zverev became the youngest player to win a Challenger title since Bernard Tomic in 2009.

January 2011: First Junior Match

In January 2011, at the age of 13, Zverev played his first junior match at a grade 4 tournament in Poland.

2011: Qualifying at Moselle Open

In 2011, At the age of 14, Zverev entered qualifying at the 2011 Moselle Open on the ATP Tour, but lost his match.

August 2012: Professional Main Draw Debut

In August 2012, Zverev won his professional main draw debut against Christian Lichtenegger at a Futures event in Germany.

2012: First ITF Title

In 2012, Zverev won his first ITF title at the Fujairah Junior Championships.

2013: Junior Success

During the 2013 European clay court season, Zverev won his first Grade 1 title and his first Grade A title at the Trofeo Bonfiglio. He also finished runner-up at the French Open.

2013: 2013 French Open Final

In 2013, David Ferrer was a French Open Finalist.

2013: Runner-up at the French Open

In 2013, Zverev was the runner-up at the French Open.

2013: Jez Green joins Zverev's team

In 2013, fitness trainer Jez Green, who previously worked with Andy Murray, began working with Alexander Zverev.

2013: ATP Tour Debut

In July 2013, Zverev made his main draw debut on the ATP Tour, losing to Roberto Bautista Agut at the International German Open.

2014: Australian Open Junior Title

In 2014, Zverev won a junior major singles title at the Australian Open.

2014: Won the Australian Open

In 2014, Zverev won the Australian Open.

2014: Focus on Professional Career

In 2014, after winning the boys' singles title at the Australian Open, Zverev shifted his focus to his professional career, only playing in pro events the rest of the year. In July he won the Braunschweig Challenger for his first professional title.

2014: Stan Wawrinka's Australian Open Title

In 2020, Alexander Zverev defeated 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka at the Australian Open in the quarterfinal in four sets to reach his first major singles semifinal.

2016: Hopman Cup with Sabine Lisicki

In 2016, Alexander Zverev competed at the Hopman Cup with Sabine Lisicki. The duo won their tie against France, but did not advance to the final.

2016: Zverev's Double Faults

In 2016, Alexander Zverev hit the most double faults on tour.

2016: Davis Cup Debut

In 2016, Alexander Zverev made his Davis Cup debut for Germany against the Czech Republic, losing to Tomáš Berdych in five sets. Germany ultimately lost the tie.

2016: First ATP Title and Top 20 Debut

In 2016, Zverev reached the semifinals at the Open Sud de France and produced a strong result at the Indian Wells Masters. He then reached his first ATP singles final at the Open de Nice Côte d'Azur.

2016: St. Petersburg Open Win

In 2016, Zverev won his first career ATP title at the St. Petersburg Open, defeating Stan Wawrinka in the final. He then defeated Dominic Thiem at the China Open.

2017: Sascha Nickname

During the 2017 season, Zverev stated that he would no longer be referred to as Sascha, because he was born in Germany and identifies as a German, and does not want a Russian nickname to be used for his professional career.

2017: Inaugural Laver Cup participation

In 2017, Alexander Zverev participated in the inaugural Laver Cup in Prague, winning both of his singles matches for Team Europe as they defeated Team World.

2017: First Davis Cup Match Win

In 2017, Alexander Zverev recorded his first Davis Cup match win against Arthur De Greef, but Germany lost the tie against Belgium.

2017: Zverev's Tennis Idol

In 2017, Alexander Zverev said his tennis idol is Roger Federer. He is a fan of the Miami Heat and Bayern Munich, and enjoys playing basketball and golf.

2017: First Masters 1000 title at the Italian Open

In 2017, Alexander Zverev won his first Masters 1000 title at the Italian Open.

2017: Zverev Hires Juan Carlos Ferrero

In the summer of 2017, Alexander Zverev hired former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Washington Open.

August 2018: Ivan Lendl Joins Zverev's Coaching Team

In August 2018, Ivan Lendl joined Alexander Zverev's coaching team.

2018: Zverev's Improved Serve and Return Rating

By 2018, Alexander Zverev had improved his serve and return game, ranking 19th in serve rating and 8th in return rating. He landed 64.2% of his first serves and won 32.4% of first serve return points.

2018: Hopman Cup final

In 2018, Alexander Zverev paired up with Angelique Kerber at the Hopman Cup. They reached the final, but Zverev lost his singles match to Federer and the pair lost the decisive mixed doubles rubber against Switzerland.

2018: 2018 ATP Finals Title

In 2018, Alexander Zverev won a title at the ATP Finals.

2018: First Davis Cup Tie Win

In 2018, Alexander Zverev won his first Davis Cup tie, winning both singles matches against Alex de Minaur and Kyrgios, leading Germany to a victory over Australia. Germany later lost to Spain in the quarterfinals.

2018: Laver Cup win against Kevin Anderson

In 2018, Alexander Zverev won the clinching match at the Laver Cup against Kevin Anderson.

2018: Laver Cup Clinching Match

In 2018, Zverev played an instrumental role in Team Europe's early success in the Laver Cup competition, winning the clinching match.

July 2019: Zverev and Lendl Split

In July 2019, Alexander Zverev and Ivan Lendl ended their coaching partnership due to disappointing results and personal differences.

October 2019: Alleged Violence Escalation

In October 2019, the violence allegedly escalated between Alexander Zverev and Olga Sharypova, as detailed in the second article released in August 2021.

2019: Alleged Abuse During 2019 Laver Cup

During the 2019 Laver Cup, Olga Sharypova alleges that Alexander Zverev punched her in the face during an argument in the pair's hotel room. This event has been included due to the context provided in the text.

2019: Hopman Cup Final Rematch

In 2019, Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber reached the Hopman Cup final again, setting up a rematch with Federer and Bencic. They lost the decisive mixed doubles rubber to Switzerland.

2019: Hopman Cup with Angelique Kerber

In 2019, Alexander Zverev competed at the Hopman Cup with Angelique Kerber and reached the final to set up a rematch of the previous year's final with Federer and Bencic. In a round-robin group with Australia, France, and Spain, the two of them won all six of their singles matches, but lost two of their three mixed doubles matches against Australia and France.

2019: Wimbledon First Round Loss

In 2019, Alexander Zverev lost in the first round of Wimbledon to Arthur Rinderknech in five sets, marking his first first-round loss at a major since 2019.

2019: Davis Cup Qualifying Round

In 2019, Alexander Zverev participated in the Davis Cup qualifying round, winning both of his singles matches as Germany won the tie against Hungary. He did not participate in the finals where Germany lost in the quarterfinals.

2019: 2019 Season

In 2019, Alexander Zverev started the season with a fourth round appearance at the Australian Open and finished runner-up at the Mexican Open. He won his only title of the year at the Geneva Open, defeating Nicolás Jarry. He reached the quarterfinal at the French Open, losing to Novak Djokovic. His early season struggles were attributed to a legal dispute with his former agent.

2019: Laver Cup win against Milos Raonic

In 2019, Alexander Zverev won the clinching match at the Laver Cup against Milos Raonic.

2019: Asian swing, Shanghai Masters

In 2019, Alexander Zverev's performance in the Asian swing included winning his 21st title in Chengdu, reaching the semifinals in Beijing, losing in the second round of the Shanghai Masters (where he was the defending finalist from 2019), and losing in Tokyo.

2019: Laver Cup Clinching Match

In 2019, Zverev played an instrumental role in Team Europe's early success in the Laver Cup competition, winning the clinching match.

2019: Zverev at Laver Cup

In 2019, during the Laver Cup, Alexander Zverev's ex-girlfriend, Olga Sharypova, alleges that Zverev punched her in the face during an argument in the pair's hotel room. This event has been included due to the context provided in the text.

2019: 2019 French Open Finalist Tsitsipas

In 2022, Alexander Zverev took revenge on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semifinals of the Madrid Open, Stefanos was the 2019 finalist.

May 2020: Alleged Abuse Against Brenda Patea

In May 2020, Alexander Zverev allegedly physically abused and damaged the health of Brenda Patea during an argument in Berlin, leading to a penalty order against him in October 2023.

May 2020: Patea Alleges Zverev Pushed Her Into A Wall and Choked Her.

In May 2020, Brenda Patea alleges that during a dispute, Alexander Zverev pushed her into a wall and choked her.

June 2020: Zverev's Self-Isolation and Subsequent Party Appearance

In June 2020, after potential exposure to COVID-19 following Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour, Alexander Zverev announced he would self-isolate. However, he was later seen at a party in Monaco, drawing criticism.

October 2020: Sharypova Accuses Zverev of Abuse

In October 2020, Olga Sharypova accused Alexander Zverev of physical and emotional abuse. She cited instances of violence, including one at the 2019 Laver Cup. Zverev denied the allegations.

2020: US Open Loss

In 2020, Alexander Zverev experienced one of only two losses from being up two sets to love in a 5-set match, against Dominic Thiem in the final of the 2020 US Open.

2020: Zverev's Double Faults in 2020

In 2020, Alexander Zverev hit the most double faults on tour.

2020: 2020 Season and Australian Open

In 2020, Alexander Zverev participated in the ATP Cup representing Germany. He reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, marking his first major singles semi-final. He also won two consecutive ATP 250 events in Cologne and reached the final of the Paris Masters.

2020: Zverev starts working with David Ferrer

In 2020, Alexander Zverev started to work with David Ferrer.

2020: Tokyo Olympics Gold Medal

In 2020, Alexander Zverev won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

2020: French Open and ATP Tour

In 2020, Zverev was seeded 6th at the French Open and was eliminated in the group stage of the ATP Finals. He also won two consecutive ATP 250 events in Cologne. He lost to Daniil Medvedev in the finals of the Paris Masters.

2020: First Major Final since 2020 US Open

In 2024, Alexander Zverev reached his first Major final since the 2020 US Open.

January 2021: Zverev Splits with David Ferrer

In January 2021, Alexander Zverev and David Ferrer announced their split.

July 2021: 2021 Wimbledon Performance

In July 2021, Alexander Zverev played at Wimbledon, seeded No. 4, he equaled his best achievement at the tournament to date – reaching the fourth round. He was defeated in the fourth round by Félix Auger-Aliassime. Following this run he returned to the top 5 on 12 July 2021.

August 2021: Zverev Secures Injunction Against Slate

In August 2021, Alexander Zverev secured an injunction from a Berlin court against Slate, barring it from publishing the assault allegations without stronger evidence. Slate protested the injunction and stood by its reporting. Mary Carillo stepped down from her role at the 2021 Laver Cup due to the ATP's handling of the allegations.

August 2021: Second Article Released About Abuse Allegations

In August 2021, a second article was released in Slate magazine about the allegations of abuse by Olga Sharypova against Alexander Zverev, detailing further instances of violence.

November 2021: 2021 Rolex Paris Masters and Ranking

In November 2021, Alexander Zverev reached the semifinals of the Rolex Paris Masters, losing to Daniil Medvedev. As a result, he equaled his singles career-high ranking of World No. 3 on November 8, 2021.

2021: 2021 Clay Court Season

In 2021, Alexander Zverev played in Monte Carlo on clay, where he finished in the third round. He reached the quarterfinals in Munich, losing to Ilya Ivashka.

2021: 2021 ATP Finals Title

In 2021, Alexander Zverev qualified for the ATP Finals in Turin and won the title, defeating Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev. This was his second ATP Finals title.

2021: 2021 Western & Southern Open Victory

In 2021, Alexander Zverev reached his second Masters 1000 final of the year at the Western & Southern Open, defeating Andrey Rublev in the final to win the title.

2021: ATP Cup

In 2021, Alexander Zverev represented Germany at the ATP Cup.

2021: Zverev's Laver Cup win

In 2021, Alexander Zverev won the Laver Cup. This event has been included for context, as the text mentions that his 2024 United Cup victory was his first team event win since this Laver Cup victory.

2021: Birth of Zverev's Daughter

In 2021, Alexander Zverev's daughter, Mayla, was born with Brenda Patea.

2021: 2021 BNP Paribas Open Quarterfinals

In 2021, Alexander Zverev, seeded 3rd, reached the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open, losing to Taylor Fritz despite having two match points.

2021: Germany in the ATP Cup

In 2021, Germany, with the same lineup as the previous year, competed in the ATP Cup, playing against Canada and Serbia in the group stage. Alexander Zverev won his match against Denis Shapovalov. He lost to Novak Djokovic in singles but partnered with Jan-Lennard Struff to defeat Djokovic and Nikola Ćaćić in doubles, enabling Germany to advance to the semifinals. They lost to Russia 2-1, with Zverev losing to Daniil Medvedev, preventing them from advancing to the final.

2021: Jez Green departs Zverev's team

In 2021, Jez Green departed Alexander Zverev's team after working with him for around seven years.

2021: Career-Best Results

In 2021, Zverev achieved his career-best results.

2021: 2021 Season Start and Australian Open

In February 2021, Alexander Zverev began his season at the ATP Cup representing Germany. He reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, losing to Novak Djokovic. He won his 14th ATP title in Acapulco, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas.

2021: Laver Cup win against John Isner

In the 2021 edition of the Laver Cup in Boston, Alexander Zverev defeated John Isner in his only match.

2021: Zverev Dates Sophia Thomalla

Since 2021, Alexander Zverev has been dating German actress Sophia Thomalla.

2021: Last Masters Title

The Italian Open title in 2024 marks Alexander Zverev's first Masters title since 2021.

June 2022: Injury at the French Open

In June 2022, Alexander Zverev retired from his semifinal match against Rafael Nadal at the French Open after rolling his right ankle and tearing all three lateral ligaments. He underwent surgery and missed the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. He reached a career-high ranking of world No. 2 on June 13, 2022, despite the injury.

August 2022: Zverev Announces Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis and Launches Foundation

In August 2022, Alexander Zverev publicly announced that he has type 1 diabetes, a condition he was diagnosed with at the age of three. Concurrent with this announcement, he launched the Alexander Zverev Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting individuals living with diabetes.

2022: Zverev's Misconduct at Mexican Open

During the 2022 Mexican Open, Alexander Zverev repeatedly struck the umpire's chair with his racket after a first-round doubles loss. He was defaulted from the tournament, fined, and received a suspended ban.

2022: 2022 Season Start and Australian Open

In 2022, Alexander Zverev started the season representing Germany at the ATP Cup. He reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, where he was defeated by Denis Shapovalov.

2022: Ankle Injury at French Open

In 2022, Zverev suffered an ankle injury at the French Open.

January 2023: ATP Investigation Concludes Without Punishment

In late January 2023, the ATP concluded its 15-month investigation into the allegations against Alexander Zverev and announced that they would not punish him due to insufficient evidence.

July 2023: Second Woman's Allegations Become Public

In July 2023, allegations from a second woman, Brenda Patea, became public through a court filing, alleging bodily harm against her by Alexander Zverev.

October 2023: Penalty Order Issued Against Zverev

On 2 October 2023, a Berlin court issued a penalty order against Alexander Zverev for "physically abusing and damaging the health of a woman during an argument in Berlin in May 2020", including a fine of €450,000. Zverev appealed the order.

November 2023: Patea Publicly Speaks About Alleged Abuse

On 1 November 2023, Brenda Patea publicly spoke about the alleged abuse by Alexander Zverev, stating that during a dispute in May 2020, Zverev pushed her into a wall and choked her.

2023: Zverev's 2023 Season

Alexander Zverev began his 2023 season representing Germany at the United Cup, where he lost to Jiri Lehecka and Taylor Fritz. Germany failed to qualify for the knockout round. At the Australian Open 2023, seeded 12th, he won his first match since June 2022 against Juan Pablo Varillas, but lost in the second round to Michael Mmoh.

2023: Insulin Injection Controversy at the French Open

During a match at the 2023 French Open, Zverev was initially prohibited from injecting insulin on the court, which led to criticism from diabetes organizations such as the International Diabetes Federation and the JDRF. Tournament organizers later clarified their stance, stating that Zverev would be allowed to inject insulin during matches.

2023: ATP Finals

In 2023, Alexander Zverev qualified for the ATP Finals for the first time since 2021. At the event, he defeated Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev while losing to Medvedev. He failed to qualify for the semifinals due to Alcaraz and Medvedev having a better win-loss percentage in sets, ending his 2023 season.

2023: Settlement in Lawsuit Filed by Ex-Partner

In 2023, Alexander Zverev reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed by his ex-partner, Brenda Patea.

2023: US Open Match against Jannik Sinner and Quarterfinals against Carlos Alcaraz

In 2023, during his US Open match against Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev halted play to complain about a fan shouting a stanza from "Deutschlandlied", which he interpreted as Nazi sentiment. He later lost the quarterfinals match against Carlos Alcaraz, after winning a 4-hour 40 minutes five-set match against Jannik Sinner, cementing his return to top form.

January 2024: Zverev Appointed to ATP Council and Featured on Break Point

In January 2024, Alexander Zverev was appointed to the ATP Players Advisory Council, sparking criticism due to pending domestic abuse charges. He was also featured on Netflix's Break Point, which faced criticism for ignoring the abuse allegations.

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May 2024: Zverev's Trial Begins

In May 2024, Alexander Zverev's trial began in the Berlin Criminal Court, bringing heightened scrutiny to the allegations against him.

June 2024: Zverev's Trial Terminated

On 7 June 2024, Alexander Zverev's trial was terminated after a settlement was reached out-of-court. Zverev agreed to voluntarily pay €200,000 to the German State Treasury and charitable organizations, without admitting guilt.

2024: Zverev's Performance on Grass Courts

As of 2024, Alexander Zverev has not won a title on grass, but has reached two finals and defeated Roger Federer on that surface. His best grass tournament remains Halle, in his home country.

2024: Rolex Paris Masters victory and World No. 2 ranking

At the 2024 Rolex Paris Masters, Alexander Zverev defeated Ugo Humbert in the final to win his second Masters 1000 trophy of the season and achieve the World No. 2 ranking.

2024: US Open Quarterfinals and 450th Career Win

At the 2024 US Open, Alexander Zverev reached the quarterfinals and achieved his 450th career win, becoming the second player born in the 1990s to reach this milestone. He subsequently lost to Taylor Fritz.

2024: Zverev Leads Germany to United Cup Victory

In 2024, Alexander Zverev led Team Germany at the United Cup in Sydney, winning his singles matches against Lorenzo Sonego and Adrian Mannarino. After mixed results in mixed doubles, Team Germany qualified for the quarterfinals, where Zverev won his singles and mixed doubles matches. Despite a loss in the semifinal against Alex de Minaur, Zverev and Laura Siegemund won the mixed doubles, leading Team Germany to the final. They won against Team Poland, securing the United Cup victory for Germany. This was Zverev's first team event win since the Laver Cup in 2021.

2024: French Open Final and Controversial Overrule

In 2024, Alexander Zverev reached his first French Open final, where a controversial overrule occurred on a second serve by Alcaraz in the fifth set, which was called out by the line judges but overruled by the chair umpire. Zverev ultimately lost the set and the match.

2024: Hamburg Open Final

In 2024, Alexander Zverev reached the final at the Hamburg Open, losing to Arthur Fils in three sets.

2024: 2024 Clay Season and Italian Open Win

In 2024, Alexander Zverev's clay season included reaching the third round at the Monte-Carlo Masters, the quarterfinals at the BMW Open, and the fourth round in Madrid. He won his sixth Masters title at the Italian Open, defeating Nicolás Jarry in the final.

April 2025: Bavarian Open Win, Madrid Open Incident, and French Open Quarterfinals

In April 2025, on his birthday, Alexander Zverev won the Bavarian Open for the third time and regained the number 2 spot from Alcaraz. During his third-round match at the Madrid Open, he received a code violation for photographing a ball mark. At the 2025 French Open, he advanced to the quarter-finals, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.